I have just bought a Stevens Model 311 double for my collection. Other Stevens-made doubles I own have ‘plain’ serial numbers, none over five digits, on the frame, barrels and fore end.

This one has a capital letter C prefix ahead of a six digit number and it appears only on the left side of the frame. Do you know the significance of this C letter prefix? Can I determine the date of manufacture from this letter? Do letter prefixes occur on other versions of the Stevens 311? I have seen Stevens 311s with no serial numbers at all.

Can you make some sense out of Savage/Stevens/Fox/Springfield serial number usage that will help me to date my doubles and clue me in on important variations? Can you tell me what the letter prefixes mean? Does it give me a clue to the correct Model designation?

Lervia 564 Manual. I am confused. The short answer is yes, but it would take more space than Gun Digest can give us for this Q&A column to give you complete answers. For now I can tell you, sticking to doubles only, that: 1.

Stevens used plain numbers from their first double in 1878 until 1913. Letter prefixes crept in on the serial numbers used on both hammer and hammerless doubles from 1913 to 1939. They always signified a change in mechanical design or manufacturing process which resulted in an interesting variant. From 1940 to 1948 no serial numbers were used on doubles, only capital letters, usually in groups of three or four, the letter(s) sometimes enclosed in a circle, along with an inspector’s symbol ( a heart, a diamond, a spade or some such ‘shape’, on the bottom of the frame behind the hinge pin. From 1948 to 1968 the letter symbols under the frame were changed to a ‘Capital letter with a one or two digit number’ in a 1/4″ circle. This was a date code which you will find illustrated in the Savage-Stevens-Fox pages of your Standard Catalog of Firearms. From October 1968 to March 1988 Savage/Stevens/Fox B doubles are serial numbered in a completely new serial number range beginning at A000001.

The six digit (always) numbers, stamped only on the left side of the frame, not on the barrels or fore end or on the wood, are preceded by capital letters from A to E. The letters do not correlate to production years. The letter prefix accompanied the Savage/Stevens/FoxB/Springfield serial number on every gun they made from 1968 on. Beginning about 1978 numbers 1 to 20 were also stamped on the three major components, frame,barrels and fore end iron, to enable the factory to keep 20 guns of like model together in a group for packing in the standard 20 gun shipping carton. The highest number I have seen was on 20 gauge Stevens Model 311 Series H serial number E957971. The Savage branded imported doubles, over and unders or side by sides, are numbered differently.

Each model is numbered in the range created by its manufacturer. As you probably have heard, Savage/Stevens’ production records on their older models were destroyed in a sprinkler accident about 35 years ago, according to officers of the company. To calculate an approximate number of ‘Stevens Model 311s’ that were made from 1968 to 1988 you could do this math exercise.

Since Savage used 5 letters (A to E), each on 999,999 guns, they must have made about 5 million guns. Perhaps 40% were doubles in the various Savage Brands and Private Brands. That makes 2 million doubles of which I estimate 80% were Stevens 311’s.

How to search for your firearm or gun date of creation or manufacture via it's serial number. There is unfortunately no one stop shop for this task but hopefully with the help of this lense you will be able to find your firearm by manufacturer below and follow their link in order to track your weapon. Use the links.

And that’s not counting production before 1968. No wonder the “311” in its various variations is the all time favorite American made double. And think how many Stevens 311s ( and Stevens made doubles that looked like Stevens 311s but carried private brands) had already been produced in the years between 1940 (first year of the ‘true’ Stevens Model 311) and 1968, during which time they weren’t serial numbered at all!

There must be at least 4 million Stevens Model 311s, in one form or another, out there! Solar Charger For Nokia 2690 Free Download.

So a coworker came to me about pricing out a pistol and revolver he and his mother found while doing a cleaning/remodeling job for their priest. Two Colts - NIB. He believed that they were purchased in the late 50's or early 60's. I have pics of them but can't upload them here. But they are GOOD looking guns. They are trying to find the appropriate value for them so they can sell them.

Colt Gold Cup National Match MKIV Blued 5' Barrel.45ACP Model No. 05870 SN *****N70 2. Colt Python Revolver Blued.357 Magnum 6' Barrel Model No. - Still waiting for it SN - Still waiting for it. I could look it up in the Blue Book for you this evening. Shave around $200 off that price and that's what you can get for it. Looking closer at this, I think that's a Series 80 pistol based on the SN.

Colt ceased production of Series 70 Gold Cup pistols in 1983 supposedly. That serial is in a format only used on Series 80 pistols made after 1983. My guess is 1984 or so.

Looking at the revolver, I'm thinking it's about the same age. But without a serial number it can't be known for sure. Do you want me to upload the images you sent me? EDIT: Uploaded attachments. The Blue Book seems to confirm the date. The MKIV was produced between 1983 and 1996.

The serial number you gave me privately is an early number. So I'd put the date of manufacture around 1984-85.

The price is listed as such. 100% 98% 95% 90% 80% 70% 60% $950 $775 $600 $475 $425 $375 $350 My best guess on what you could get for it would be around $650 to $700, IF it's visually perfect in every way. As for the Python, going on the assumption that it was manufactured around the same time as the Gold Cup, that puts it in the 1970 to 1996 run of Pythons.

The book has this to say. 100% 98% 95% 90% 80% 70% 60% $1050 $950 $775 $675 $600 $500 $395 We dont really need the serial number on this one to determine price as there were only two runs. Pre-1970 and post-1970. Just add about $50 to those prices if it was made before 1970. My best guess on what you could get out of it is $750 to $850, IF it's visually perfect in every way.

These are nice guns, but I'm thinking that they aren't really anything super special beyond what sentimental value they may hold for the owner. Out on the market they appear to be fairly average. EDIT: Harm just PM'd me the serial number of the Python.

E4**** Made in 1972 according to. So a post-1970 Python. Price numbers above are what the book says. It surely would matter.

The problem you get is that it'll only matter to exactly the right person. Either a) a hardcore collector who knows why that's significant and wants to stow the guns away in a safe never to be seen again; or b) a total newb that you can convince that it's uber-significant and get him swimming in his own drool. Everyone else will think it's nice, but really only see the box as $.50 worth of cardboard and paper. Most will want to shoot the guns.

Not 'collect' them. Being that neither of us travel in either circle, the leg work necessary to get an extra $50 to $60 out of the deal wouldn't be worth it I think. EDIT: You may be able to push that Gold Cup to $800 in the current market, but that's a tough call.

Colt prices very quite a bit based on your location and finding the right buyer. In my neck of the woods the Python would easily bring a grand and the Gold Cup NM (assuming it is unfired) $800+.

Your mileage may vary. The Colt market is a bit different than much of the used gun market because their are a lot of serious collectors out there. Before the economy went south LNIB Colts were selling for well above Blue Book - BB pricing being a bit conservative. Based on the model number and N70 suffix I would have said it was a Series 70 gun. My 1976 production Gold Cup has a 70N prefix. IIRC, the went to a suffix around 1977. Colt prices very quite a bit based on your location and finding the right buyer.

In my neck of the woods the Python would easily bring a grand and the Gold Cup NM (assuming it is unfired) $800+. Your mileage may vary. The Colt market is a bit different than much of the used gun market because their are a lot of serious collectors out there. Before the economy went south LNIB Colts were selling for well above Blue Book - BB pricing being a bit conservative. Based on the model number and N70 suffix I would have said it was a Series 70 gun.

My 1976 production Gold Cup has a 70N prefix. IIRC, the went to a suffix around 1977. For most part I'd agree, but in my experience the reverse is true for Colts - especially snake guns.

Some of it my be the area I'm in or the shops I frequent - your mileage may vary. I will say that since the economy went south the going rates have certainly returned to a more 'normal' level. A dealer is absolutely going to give you less than BB - he's got to make a profit too. It has been a while since I had to think about SNs like that so my recollection my be off. I have a book some place.

FYI, one could always call Colt. I think they'll give you a production date over the phone with out the process and expense of getting a letter.